Chapter Director's corner

Carl & Jan Breeding
Chapter Directors GWRRA AL-H Athens Eagle Wings

Well, the Alabama Rally is over for the year, Robert and Gail Brown are the new Alabama Couple of the Year. We really appreciate your support during our time as the district couple and all of the extra obligations that entailed. During the rally Chapter H got a 1st place finish for both our Scrapbook and for our Chapter Tree. The 2017 rally will be back in Mobile, the theme is “Sit-coms”, I am sure more will be put out shortly on that subject;

The 18th there is a Trike Rider Class (TRC) scheduled with Chapter S in Russellville, AL. We will be leaving the Athens Shell station at 0530, please be prompt. The classroom will be in a meeting room at the Town Hall, followed by the range at the High School. My thanks to Mark Swindle for his assistance in organizing this.

Audrey and Lynn did an outstanding joint effort in designing and manufacturing windshield covers for our member’s bikes:

My thanks to both of them for the dedication they have demonstrated! They have to share the Atta-Boy award, but they both know they deserve it.

I hope everyone is riding as much as time permits, I hope you are also keeping your limits in mind while riding in all of the heat we have been having. Make sure you stop frequently and re-hydrate. Remember, if you haven’t been stopping for a bathroom break every two to three hours, you are probably not drinking enough,

Ride Safe, Ride often, call friends to join you.

Carl & Jan
Chapter Directors
Alabama Chapter H

News from Your District Directors

Frank & Linda TeasleyAlabama District Directors

Greetings fellow riders, with the passing of another month the riding season is really upon us now. Please make sure you as well as your bikes/trikes are ready to go. Your health and well-being is just as important as the bike being prepped. Take a few minutes to get yourself prepared before you go out for a ride.

We have just completed our first Alabama Rally as your District Directors. Over the weekend we told several people that if they were having just half as much fun as we were they were have a great time. We certainly hope you had a great time with us. If you did please tell everyone you see but if you didn’t please let us know. We would like to know what we can do better to make your experience better. As announced on Saturday evening most of you know by now that we are returning to Mobile, Al next year at the Ashbury Hotel for our 2017 District Rally. The rally theme will be Sitcom Mania. Remember all of your favorite sitcoms that you watched growing up, Happy Days, I Love Lucy, Carroll Burnett Show, MASH, and so many others, the list goes on and on. Please make plans to join us next year as we pay tribute to our favorite sitcoms and have a little fun.

We have a Horizons class scheduled for June 4 and 5 at the UAB Medical West Hospital training room. This is the first opportunity we will have for this year and we strongly encourage you to attend. These classes are for all members of GWRRA, not just officers as we were ask this past weekend. The Horizons class is the FUN class in GWRRA so make plans to join us. If you would like to attend please email Roy and Anita Fosnight ASAP so we can make plans for the class.

A very big thank you to everyone who attended the District Rally this past weekend. Again, we hope each of you had a great time. When you see them please congratulate Robert and Gail Brown for being chosen the 2016-2017 District Couple of the Year. Also, please do likewise to Ron Landers for being chosen the 2016-2017 Individual of the Year.

Please remember all of our men and women in uniform and all of our first responders and all their families and just say thanks when you see them. They serve and protect us each and every day. We hope to see all of you out on the road,

Frank and Linda Teasley

A Note from Your North Alabama Assistant District Directors

Robert & Gail BrownNorth Assistant District Directors

Our 2016 Alabama District Rally is over, and in the history books. Chapter participation was at a level that has not been seen for several years. A number of chapters entered the mascot, banner, diorama and talent show contest. Also, almost all the chapters brought a COY basket to be given away. Each of them was well done. If you missed this rally, you missed a good one.

Participation is what makes the rallies enjoyable and brings chapter members closer together. The Alabama Rally for 2017 will be back in Mobile at the Ashbury Inn and Suites. Make plans now to attend, and we hope each chapter will participate as much as possible.

As most of you know by now, Gail & I were selected as the 2016 Alabama District Couple of the Year. There were three other couples in the selection and any one of them would have been a great selection to represent Alabama. Many thanks go out to each couple for participating. We are honored to have been chosen. Watch for us as we will be out visiting as many chapters as possible during this year.

Robert and Gail Brown

A Note from Your District Educators

May had two significant events, 14 May was Motorcycle Awareness Day for the Alabama District, where we encouraged the public to be aware of our presence on the highway, and asked them to “Watch out for motorcycles.” Your participation is what makes these events a success. The other event was the District Convention (rally), where the participants seemed to really enjoy the talent show and other activities.

Participation is an important part of all of our programs; without it we, as an organization will cease to exist. I encourage every member to get involved in the activities of their chapter, district, and region. It is upon that foundation that GWRRA is built. The coordinators of the different programs need you to get involved in what they are doing to help them be successful.

Kudoes to Chapter S in Russellville, not only were they the largest in number of pre-registered participants for the rally, they were also one of the chapters who have assisted in identifying facilities where we can hold riding courses. We are having a Trike Rider Course (TRC) on 18 June at 0800, the classroom will be at Two Fat Sisters (restaurant) 17901 Hwy 43 Russellville, the range will be on a driver’s training facility belonging to their school.

Ron Landers and chapter D are working to arrange another Rider Education Weekend this fall, and I thank them for this! It takes all of us working together to ensure the members have the opportunity to take the classes they need to be safe on the highways. James Clayton of chapter U has also identified a potential facility in Dothan, I have to make it down there to check it before scheduling a class, but it also looks promising.

I would like to thank every one of you who took part in the Motorist Awareness Day, we talked to over 3300 folks according to the reports I have received so far. I also thank all who have attempted to identify facilities where we can present classes, I cannot cover all of the state by myself, your help is essential.

Carl Breeding

A Note from our Alabama District Membership Enhancement Coordinators

Another great Alabama District Rally is behind us. All I can say if you weren’t there you missed a good one.

Congratulations to Robert and Gail Brown as they are the COYs for AL. You can rest assured they will serve us well. Thanks to the other 3 couples also they were all fantastic and did outstanding jobs. Mr. Ron Landers of Chapter D Anniston AL. Model City Wings was announced as the District individual of the year. This was a well-deserved award. He does a lot for his chapter and the district and all of GWRRA.

The place was full of talent With 13 skits in the talent show on Friday then four on Saturday. We even had a lot of new chapters competing. Thanks to each and every one of you. We all were really surprised at the turn out for the Christmas trees, mascots and scrapbooks and COY Baskets. We just had to keep adding tables to get everything on one.

Gina Berry from FL. won three baskets. Her new name is 1083 LOL. There were lots of good prizes passed out all 3 days.

Next year we will be going back to the Ashbury in Mobile. The response we got from the announcement at the rally was good so start making plans now. 2017 May 18th 19th and 20th. The theme will be TV Sitcoms use your imaginations.

A special thanks to chapters M, S, D and N for all your help. It made it a lot easier on me as I did not have to do as much walking and running around this year.

- TRAVELING PLAQUE GRAB -- Saturday June 18th @ 4:00pm Chapter Z will have a Dinner ride to Big "B" BBQ in Alexander City . We will offer the Traveler up for bids at this meeting place to other Chapters. (1626 Highway 22 W Alexander City AL 35010)http://www.bigbbarbque.com